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Yesterday, the Lindhorst Group, as the client, together with the general contractor MBN, Georgsmarienhütte II branch, set the topping-out wreath for the new Ems-Quartier Meppen. The ceremony took place in the presence of Meppen's mayor Helmut Knurbein, First City Councillor Matthias Funke and Hendrik Wirths from the designing architecture and general planning office Chapman Taylor.
Around 100 guests followed the traditional ceremony under the topping-out wreath. The roof structure has already been completed. Together, the last nails were symbolically hammered in on site. In addition, the guests were given up-to-date and in-depth insights into the development of the Ems Quarter, which has been actively renovating for about a year and is increasingly taking on its new form. Afterwards, there was an opportunity to exchange ideas over a joint barbecue snack. The Ems Quarter is being built at Bahnhofstraße 10 in 49716 Meppen (Lower Saxony).
"The Ems Quarter is an important building block in our city centre. It closes the gap between the train station and the old town and will comprehensively complement our local trade, services and cultural offerings in the future. Today, those involved in the construction are sending a signal for Meppen's attractiveness and especially for the immediate neighbourhood, which will soon grow further due to the 'Rechts der Ems' redevelopment area. The Ems Quarter provides the modern, sustainable infrastructure that our growing city needs at exactly the right time."
"At the end of last year, we took the first visible step on the way to the new Ems-Quartier with the gutting of the property. Since spring, we have been intensively involved in the conversion and shell construction work. Today we can see how the new Ems-Quartier is taking shape step by step. The topping-out ceremony is therefore an important milestone for us, not only for the construction progress, but for the entire project. We are celebrating this milestone together with everyone involved in the construction and at the same time saying thank you for what has been achieved in recent months. Our common goal is completion in the summer of 2027. We look forward to continuing to advance the project with our construction partners."
"A conversion of this magnitude always challenges the trades a little more, but the project is going according to plan. The fact that we are now also setting the topping-out wreath is proof of the strong and cooperative partnership of all those involved on the construction site. With the building envelope now tight, we are ready for the final spurt in interior construction during the wet and cold seasons. We would also like to thank all those involved in the project."
The former shopping centre was vacated at the end of 2024 and has since been converted into a sustainable "mixed-use quarter" with a new mix of uses under the name Ems-Quartier Meppen by summer 2027. The approx. 23,000 square metres of space are planned to be used by tenants from the retail, gastronomy, office, fitness, hotel and culture/education segments as well as the underground car park.
Even before the start of the project for the conversion, B&B HOTELS, REWE, Deichmann and the Emsland Music School were confirmed as future tenants. Since then, the return of Woolworth and the dm-drogerie market to the location as well as new tenants such as a fitness studio or a k-kiosk with a wide range of tobacco, lottery, snacks and press have been announced.
The location of the Ems district is characterized by the border on the central Bahnhofstraße in the northwest of the city of Meppen as well as by its direct location on the southern tributary of the Ems. This will make the property a link between the central station and the old town. In the immediate vicinity of the Ems district, the city has designated the new redevelopment area "Rechts der Ems". Around 1,000 new residential units are to be built here by 2030.
468 parking spaces on two levels in the underground car park ensure convenient access to the Ems district regardless of the weather.
From the very beginning, it was a central concern for the Lindhorst Group to preserve as much of the existing building fabric as possible. This approach conserves valuable resources and avoids the use of grey energy and the additional emission of emissions. The planned interventions are limited to the bare minimum, while targeted measures, such as a partial lowering of the roof, create new possibilities for use and at the same time create a green, light-flooded inner courtyard.
An important goal is the BREEAM certification (information here) of the property with the desired classification "Excellent". This includes, among other things, the integration of a photovoltaic system on the roof and the optimisation of operating costs.
Another focus is on regionality: The small-scale and very individual retail offer of the nearby old town is sensibly supplemented by the new EQM with well-known chain stores. In order to promote the local economy, regional construction companies and service providers in particular will continue to be involved in the project development. This holistic concept combines ecological, economic and social sustainability and gives the project a forward-looking character.
